Day 30 - Mission: Brooklyn, NY

We woke to raindrops beating down sometime during the night. Our hopes that it would just pass through were not fulfilled. It rained all day. I mean - ALL day. Normally, I love the rain, but it came at a very poor time in our schedule. Today we were scheduled to tour Brooklyn Bethel - World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses.

We would be taking the subway to get there, which also means a lot of walking to and from, with one umbrella. All in all - it was a great day, soaked or not. Thank goodness I had packed our winter wool coats. They helped to keep us somewhat dry. Oh and did I mention - my feet are REALLY hurting now.

Thanks to our great friends - Michael & Melissa - they connected us with their friends there, Keith & Laurie.

We had the privilege of being invited as their guests for dinner with the Bethel family. We arrived at 25 Columbia Heights around 11:30 am, just before dinner (the rain really slowed us down). Notice I said "dinner" as the mid-day meal. Laurie explained to us that dinner is considered the largest meal of the day whatever time of day that is.

Everything at Bethel is done in such an organized, orderly fashion and mealtime is no exception.

After dinner, we were given a formal tour by Brother Fields.

Here he is standing next to an original MEPS (Multi-language Electronic Phototypesetting System) machine.

After our tour, we walked in an absolute downpour to the 90 Sands building.

We were able to visit with an old friend, Dawna.

Keith & Laurie invited us to stay for supper - a simpler, lighter buffet style meal. Our plan for the evening was to attend a local weeknight meeting. But we found out that all of the congregations in that area would be at their circuit assembly that weekend = no weeknight meeting scheduled. Instead, Laurie gave us an extended tour - which included the residence buildings, the adjoining tunnels, the rooftops, the commissary, their apartment & the currently vacant 124 building. You can see in the following pictures how crummy the weather was that day.

Manhattan

The Brooklyn Bridge

Before leaving Brooklyn, Keith, Laurie, Colby & I shared a proper New York pie at Fascati's. It was definitely the best one we have had yet.

Thanks Keith & Laurie for being so hospitable, and thanks Michael & Melissa for setting that one up for us!

And I think my feet have gone numb from the pain!